Imperial Family of Japan Jewellery 1: Ending 2023

[Prince of Chota]

I read somewhere that the Japanese royal family doesn't have that many jewels these days. It sounds as though their collection might have been pruned by the Allies after the war. I have no idea how authoritative that source is, though.

I think you've hit it quite well. The JIF presents a very conservative, modest front to the world, which seems very tightly controlled. Remember that there isn't as long a tradition of decorating one's self with stones in Japan as in the West...so it is a recent effect of Westernisation. Although there were several great Japanese jewellers who created astonishing jewels (like Mikimoto), Japan was also devastated during WWII (including the Imperial residences and government buildings), and so countless treasures were likely destroyed. There has been little effort, it appears, to make purchase of very grand jewels since the war, the general mood of the post-war economic rebuilding was one that did not value ostentation.

 

[Prince of Chota]

wow. I have thoroughly restated myself. Albeit, months later...please forgive me...(hangs head)...

 

[Seraphine]

Well, I think, this kind of jewellery doesn't fit asian woman. The empress looks strange in gala dresses and tiara....

 

[Prince of Chota]

I don't exactly see how her being Asian makes a difference...

...the style of dress in the Japanese court, from the gala dresses to the way in which tiaras are placed on the head, is a completely different fashion than in Europe. So it might look strange at first. Please do remember, though, that this is uniquely Japanese, so it isn't as though the empress is "trying to dress like a European". It's just a different culture.

 

[Elspeth]

Jewels aren't worn with kimono, except possibly for an obidome, which is a sort of brooch worn on the obi (the sash round the waist). Necklaces and brooches aren't worn with kimono, and hair ornaments tend to be traditional. The outfit itself was considered decorative enough. Since there wasn't a long history of being able to wear jewels with traditional Japanese clothes and since there wasn't much contact with the western world until the mid-19th century or thereabouts, I suppose it isn't surprising that the Japanese royal family doesn't have much in the way of heirloom jewels.

 

[beej180]

I read somewhere that the Japanese royal family doesn't have that many jewels these days. It sounds as though their collection might have been pruned by the Allies after the war. I have no idea how authoritative that source is, though.

The Imperial Family of japan own a tremendous amount of jewels which surpass those of the british monarch. I read that in a magazine in Tokyo about 5 years ago. I remember it saying that after their wealth was confiscated, the Imperial jewels were kept hidden in a place no person knew of except the Emperor at the time. So it's clear that the Imperial Family owns dozens of jewels but they are quite secretive about it.

 

[Prince of Chota]

I don't quite know how much of that I believe. If they do have tons more baubles, they certainly never use them. And some of the tiaras worn by younger members of the family appear to be of recent (or more recent, anyway) manufacture than the second world war. What I have noticed is that jewellery from several different branches of the family seems to have converged on the current members giving the ladies pieces like the tiara formerly in the collection of Prince and Princess Chichibu (the palmetto pattern worn by the Empress). There may be several more tiaras and large pieces like this, including several fringe tiaras from the late nineteenth century. However, it seems just as likely that these pieces are now in bank vaults belonging to distant cousins.

I was wondering if anyone knew anything of the sunburst tiara that the current empress wore several times as Crown Princess. I would certainly like to see that one make another appearance, either on her head or that of her daughter-in-law, Masako.

 

[Stefan]

These sunburst tirara was worn by masako at the New Years reception in 2007. There was only a small picture or Video.

 

[Josefine]

i have been wondering, the jewllery worn by the japance family if we talk about tiaras and diamond necklaces for how long have they worn these jewllery i mean its a western culture
here is Empress Sadako is it worn by the empress nowadays

 

[magnik]

I wonder what happen with former Princess Sayako's tiara?

 

[dianahayden]

[FONT=&quot]Will she keep these jewelleries with her?[/FONT]

 

[fifiona]

Japanese jewelry, ornaments and decoration

Hello-

I have a few questions.

Is there a book about the Imperial family's jewelry?
Also, can someone explain about Japanese personal decoration and ornamentation (lack of wearing lots of jewelry)? I know very little about it.
And, is there a list of contemporary Japanese jewelers-- other than Mikimoto?

 

[Josefine]

Princess Masako, tiara
one more

 

[Kasumi]

HIH the Princess Akishino Kiko during Prince Hisahito's Fukasogi-no-Gi ceremony on October 28th, 2011.

Diamond and pearl bow brooch + pearl ring

 

[Al_bina]

The set is exquisite. It goes well with the kimono Princess Kiko wore.

 

[kathia_sophia]

The tiara's of the Imperial Family (at least the ones that have been shown to public recently):

HIH Princess Kiko Tiara - *pic*
HIH Princess Mako Tiara - *pic*
Then HIH Princess Sayako Tiara - *pic*
HIM Empress Michiko Tiaras - *pic*
HIH The Crown Princess Masako Tiaras - *pic* & *new Tiara once used by the Empress*

 

[agami.pearl]

All tiaras are all-diamonds. Is this has special meaning for JRF? Cause I noticed that ladies are wearings white gown in most of the cases. Is white a special color in eastern culture?

 

[Baroness of Books]

Perhaps this link might be helpful for the significance of colors in Japan:

What Is the Meaning of Color in Japanese Culture? | eHow.com

 

[agami.pearl]

thank you
As I supposed white color has positive meaning in Japanese culture. Or maybe ladies prefers minimalism in their outfits

 

[cmbruno]

Jewels aren't worn with kimono, except possibly for an obidome, which is a sort of brooch worn on the obi (the sash round the waist). Necklaces and brooches aren't worn with kimono, and hair ornaments tend to be traditional. The outfit itself was considered decorative enough. Since there wasn't a long history of being able to wear jewels with traditional Japanese clothes and since there wasn't much contact with the western world until the mid-19th century or thereabouts, I suppose it isn't surprising that the Japanese royal family doesn't have much in the way of heirloom jewels.

I wonder if the word obidome is originated from the Latin abdomen and appeared in Japanese vocabulary via Portuguese Jesuits in the middle of the 1500's. And if so, this kind of brooch could either started to be used by foreign influence or just named by it.

 

[Rhys82192]

The Magatama, or Comma-shaped jewels, has been very important to the Imperial Family of Japan. Magatama are ancient Jewels that has been worn by the Japanese since the prehistoric Jomon Period (14,000 BC - 300 BC). A Magatama called Yasakani no Magatama, is part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, added some time around the Heian period (794 - 1185 AD). The Yasakani no Magatama stands for benevolence, and is one of the three items used in the ceremony of imperial ascension. In Japanese mythology, the jewels, along with the mirror, were hung on the tree outside of Amaterasu's cave (where she had hidden) to lure her out. It is believed to be a necklace composed of jade magatama stones instead of a solitary gem as depicted in popular culture. It is believed to be enshrined in Tokyo, in the Japanese Imperial Palace.

Here is a picture of various Magatama. Some of them are made of jade (hisui in Japanese):

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hisui/magatama/img238.jpg

And here is a picture (maybe a copy or replica) of the Yasakani no Magatama, which is believed to be enshrined at the Palace of the Japanese Imperial Family in Tokyo:

http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~namaki/magatama.jpg

 

[Rhys82192]

A sun-shaped golden tiara, called a Hirabitai, is usually worn by Crown Princesses of Japan upon their marriage to Crown Princes. They wear Hirabitai together with their Junihitoe, or the Japanese Ceremonial Kimono.

 

[Kasumi]

HIH the Princess Akishino Mako visiting Ise-jingu inner sanctuary, Nov 2011.

Pearl necklace + earrings + brooch

 

[Kasumi]

The Princess Kiko at the press conference on Nov 29, 2011.

Kiko's yellow and white gold rose brooch
The same brooch larger view - June 2011

*****
HM the Empress during tour to Canada

Leaflet brooch

 

[Illustrious]

An Obi-dome is literally "sash brooch". The word doesn't have latin origin, I'm afraid.

All the pieces for wear with obi are named as such: obi-age, obi-jime, obi-dome, obi-makura, and so on...

I also wanted to point out something I noticed in kathia_sophia's collage of Empress Michiko's tiaras, the center one has a very predominant theme of "Kiku", or Chrysanthemum, which is generally a flower used in fall, or more specifically, October.

/random useless knowledge

 

[Warren]

Not random at all.
A Chrysanthemum tiara motif is very apt for the Chrysanthemum Throne.

 

[cmbruno]

An Obi-dome is literally "sash brooch". The word doesn't have latin origin, I'm afraid.

All the pieces for wear with obi are named as such: obi-age, obi-jime, obi-dome, obi-makura, and so on...

Thank you for your answer. I am absolutely fascinated with etymology. We have a lot of Japanese immigrants here in Brazil and I have learned that their usage of "Nè" at the end of a sentence when in conversation means "não é?" (something like isn't it? in Portuguese that they have adapted from the Portugues jesuits in the Middle Age.

 

[Illustrious]

Yup, that it is! "Ne" is a bad habit of mine, actually! ^^;;

 

[Kasumi]

Japanese Imperial princesses love pearls.

HM the Empress Michiko - white and black pearl cluster brooch + necklace

HIH the Crown Princess Masako has being wearing this diamond and pearl floral brooch in 1994-1999. In 2001 the brooch was seen on Mrs Owada, the Crown Princess's mother.

The brooch of the Crown Princess

 

[Baroness of Books]

Masako's pearl brooch and earrings are stunning, and the Empress' pearl cluster brooch is an intriguing design. I love the black pearls interspersed throughout.